Carriers consolidate to enhance southern services

The Arnold Transportation division of U.S. Xpress Enterprises will merge with LinkAmerica Corp. to create a trucking company with 1,400 vehicles, 5,000 trailers and 1,800 drivers.

The combined company will operate under the Arnold name and will be jointly owned and operated by Arnold parent company U.S. Xpress and LinkAmerica’s private equity owner Tenex Capital Management.

The deal extends Arnold's dominance in the regional market with increased capacity and a service footprint that expands to new geographies in southern states.

"With this merger, Arnold Transportation Services will be the 32nd largest truckload operation in the United States, offering top-notch service for high-demand regional freight," said Arnold CEO Todd Smith. "The deal compliments our current business model and supports the goals of growing and attracting more drivers."

Founded in 1985, Arnold parent company U.S. Xpress Enterprises is the nation’s second largest privately-owned truckload carrier.